


A Fateful Boat Ride

by Feriku



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Banter, Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 08:24:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20272897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feriku/pseuds/Feriku
Summary: Whatever Kaz wanted with Wylan Van Eck was anyone's guess, but Jesper's role in the plan was simple enough. All he had to do was kidnap him on the way to Belendt.AU where Jesper replaces one of the "bodyguards" on the boat with Wylan.





	A Fateful Boat Ride

_“They know Van Eck, but they’ve never met each other,” Kaz had said. “The boy hasn’t seen them before, so he won’t be a problem. Don’t mess this up. If you have to wait until Belendt to grab him safely, do it.”_

With those assurances in mind, Jesper strolled up to the Van Eck mansion in a black suit, acting for all the world as though he belonged.

No doubt this had to do with some new scheme where taking a mercher’s son captive would be a help to Kaz. All Jesper had to do was take the place of one of the boy’s new chaperones, go with him to his school in Belendt, and kidnap him before he got there. Simple.

The other bodyguard was a large man, but he should be easy enough to deal with when the time came. “Miggson?” he asked.

Jesper nodded. “You’re Prior?”

With a short nod, Prior knocked.

So far things were going just as Kaz said they would. As long as they got on the boat before the real Miggson regained consciousness and found his way out of the alley where Jesper jumped him, they were set.

A servant answered and ushered them into the mansion.

The suitcase sitting by the door was smaller than Jesper thought a merchling would need, but then, the young man who joined them was also rather small. Wylan Van Eck gave them a tremulous smile. His wide blue eyes darted to Jesper’s face for a moment before he quickly looked away, and he fidgeted with the satchel he carried as though anxious about leaving.

This was the most dangerous part. Jesper prepared to slip outside the moment Jan Van Eck came to see his son off, because he’d know Jesper wasn’t Miggson.

But Wylan grabbed the small suitcase and headed for the door, with no sign of anyone coming to say goodbye.

Jesper caught up to him and took the suitcase. Things would go a lot easier if he made a positive impression on the boy. “Allow me.”

Wylan blinked. “Um, thank you, sir.”

Shouldn’t the mercher’s hired men be addressing his son as “sir,” not the other way around? “Just call me Miggson,” Jesper said.

Without a word for either of them, Prior stepped past and took the lead.

As they walked out of the mansion and down the street toward the docks, Jesper studied the merchling. At times he seemed happy, other times sad or nervous, even ashamed. All this emotion because of going to school? A pretty rich boy like him wouldn’t last a day in the Barrel.

Nevertheless, Jesper needed to play nice to win his trust. “Are you excited about going to Belendt?”

Wylan jumped. “Yes.”

“Studying music, right? You any good?”

“I think so. I understand music. It makes sense to me.”

Arrogant little merchling. “What instrument do you play?”

“Flute.”

They reached the docks, and Prior glanced back at them with a frown. “I’ll get the tickets.”

What was that suspicious look about? Were merchling bodyguards supposed to be unfriendly toward their charge?

But Prior was walking away, so Jesper turned his attention back to Wylan. “Flute, huh? Can I hear you play?”

“In public?”

“What, you’re that bad?” Jesper asked, unable to keep from laughing.

“No! But… no one wants to be bothered by my music.”

“Come on, play something for me.”

Wylan hesitated, as though he expected Jesper to take back the request, then opened up his satchel and pulled out a flute. He played only a few bars before quickly putting his flute away again.

His obvious fear made Jesper bristle. Was talking to hired men so abhorrent? Did he assume anyone without a mercher’s cultured manners was a thug who would hurt him?

Play nice, win his trust. “You’ll go far at music school, merchling.”

“I… Thank you!”

That wasn’t the reaction Jesper expected. Surely Wylan must get compliments about his music all the time, yet he seemed both surprised and delighted by the praise. His shy smile was such a far cry from the anxiety he showed a moment ago, he was like a different person.

Jesper stepped closer and lowered his voice. “And with a face like yours, you’ll have all the girls lining up.”

Wylan laughed. “Um, thank you? I don’t really care about attracting girls, though.”

Fair enough. But was that a lack of interest in romance, or… “You’ll have all the boys lining up, too.”

His cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink. He didn’t deny it.

Prior rejoined them and held up the tickets.

As they followed him toward the Belendt line, Jesper nudged Wylan. “Maybe you’ll need a bodyguard out at that fancy school of yours. Covertly, of course. Just a handsome escort to your classes.”

Wylan’s blush deepened.

But he didn’t object.

Needling him further was far too tempting. “Think I could make it at music school? I don’t play an instrument, but I could learn.” Jesper winked. “I’m good at blowing things.”

Wylan made a choking sound and covered his mouth. He looked like he was trying to hide a smile. “There’s a little more to it than that.”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Jesper let a suggestive note enter his voice and smirked. “I’m good with my hands, too.”

The other boy’s shoulders shook with laughter, his hand still over his mouth to muffle the sound. “Well…” He cleared his throat, as though he needed to work up the nerve to respond. “If you show up at the school, I tell them you’re very good with your mouth and hands.”

Jesper grinned. “You sure you don’t need me to prove it to you first?”

Wylan turned scarlet and spluttered for a while before he managed to speak again. “That’s… _bad_.”

“On the contrary, I’ve been told I’m _very_ good.”

“I bet you are,” Wylan mumbled, the compliment barely audible.

Saints, merchlings weren’t supposed to be this fun to tease, and they definitely weren’t supposed to flirt back. Maybe his earlier assessment of Wylan as an arrogant, pampered brat had been too hasty. Deceiving him was starting to feel bad. On the other hand, it shouldn’t take much effort to convince Wylan to go somewhere alone with him. He might even leave voluntarily if he wasn’t so excited about music school. Hopefully whatever Kaz had in mind for him would be quick and easy, and then Wylan could go back to study music.

And if he and Jesper ended up somewhere private for a kiss and a cuddle, who was he to say no to those blue eyes?

They boarded the boat and Wylan sat down in the cabin, but before Jesper could follow, Prior caught his gaze and beckoned him off to the side.

Prepared to act if he’d given away his cover, Jesper joined him.

“What are you doing?” Prior whispered. “Why do you keep talking to him?”

“Shouldn’t I?” Jesper asked. “Is there a problem with that?”

Prior lifted his hands. “It surprised me, that’s all. No wonder he hired you.”

Was befriending Wylan so unthinkable? Once he came out of his shell, he wasn’t that bad. For a merchling.

“Just remember,” Prior said, “wait until he’s alone.”

Jesper kept his face expressionless and nodded as though he understood. Suspicion made the hair on the back of his neck prickle as they rejoined Wylan in the cabin.

He took the seat alongside him and got out his pistols to make sure they were loaded and in good condition, just in case. Partway through, he sensed a gaze on him. He glanced up, expecting more strange questions from Prior, but instead found Wylan watching him.

“Sorry,” Jesper said. “You afraid of guns?”

Wylan shook his head. “I was just wondering how they work.”

“You pulled the trigger and a bullet fires.”

He rolled his eyes. “No, I mean why that happens. I understand gunpowder. I know how to make it; I know why it ignites. But I don’t know how the gun itself works. Why does pulling the trigger make the bullet fire?”

Jesper stared at him. These were questions he’d never asked. His guns worked, and that was all he needed to know. And wait, this innocent-eyed little merchling knew how to _make_ gunpowder?

“Next you’ll be telling me you can make bombs,” he said.

“No!” Wylan ducked his head. “I mean, I probably could…”

Saints, maybe Kaz didn’t want him as a hostage, but to blow things up.

“But a gun is different than a bomb,” Wylan said, his gaze fixed on the pistols again like he wanted to take them apart. “You don’t want it to blow up. When you pull the trigger, what happens inside?”

“Tell you what,” Jesper said with a teasing smile, “once we get to Belendt, I’ll give you a private demonstration until you know all about how guns work, okay?”

Wylan smiled back. “I’d like that. I like learning how things work.” His smile faltered and he looked down at his hands. “When I can, at least.”

“I bet you’ll pick up on it in no time.”

Jesper would have never guessed he’d be talking to Wylan Van Eck about pistols and gunpowder and bombs, let alone looking forward to showing off for him. Saints, this kid wasn’t what he expected at all.

Those shy smiles were making him think things… and maybe Wylan was thinking a thing or two along the same lines.

Fooling around with a merchling would be a new one for Jesper. He’d normally expect that sort of opportunity to present itself through the rebellious type, someone trying to flout society’s expectations and be _bad_, as Wylan put it. Wylan wasn’t like that. It was more like he was so open and genuine, he saw no difference between flirting with Jesper versus another mercher’s child. Maybe it was because of the suit, because of his cover story, yet somehow Jesper didn’t think Wylan’s behavior toward him would change if he knew who he really was.

Well, except for the kidnapping part. That put a wrinkle into things.

With a sigh, Jesper leaned back to sleep. Wylan seemed restless, though, and after a few minutes of shifting around, he got up and left the cabin.

Prior stood and nodded to Jesper, then followed Wylan.

What?

Unease made Jesper’s stomach clench. He hurried after them and double-checked his pistols again as he emerged from the cabin.

Wylan stood at the ship’s rail, looking out over the water. He remained there for a moment, then turned around and jumped when he saw them watching him. “Sorry,” he said, though there was no need to apologize, “I—”

Prior grabbed him by the throat and began to squeeze.

Everything made sense.

The lack of a family farewell. Prior’s disturbed reaction to Jesper befriending Wylan. His reminder to wait until Wylan was alone.

Jan Van Eck hadn’t sent his son to music school.

He had sent him to die.

In the second it took for the pieces to fall into place, Jesper drew his gun and pressed it against Prior’s skull. “Let him go.”

Wylan was clawing for freedom, desperately straining as Prior lifted him off the ground, his eyes wide and terrified.

“I said, let him go.”

Prior dropped Wylan. “The hell are you doing, Miggson? You’re backing out now?”

“Stay away from him for the rest of the trip and I won’t shoot you.” Probably. Wylan’s strained gasps for breath made it tempting to shoot Prior anyway.

“You there!” One of the other passengers had noticed their altercation. “What’s going on?”

Prior pointed at Jesper. “This man is threatening me. He must have come on board to steal something.”

“No—” Wylan’s hoarse protest was silenced by Prior’s elbow to his stomach.

The other passenger looked alarmed. “I’ll fetch the stadwatch!”

It wouldn’t take the stadwatch long long to prove Jesper wasn’t really Miggson, and if Jan Van Eck was behind all of this, he’d be able to silence Wylan’s testimony easily enough.

So Jesper holstered his pistol. “Jump!”

Wylan’s eyes widened further, but he didn’t hesitate. He dove over the side of the ship’s railing. Brave, for a merchling. Jesper jumped in after him.

When he reached Wylan, the other boy thrashed until their gazes locked and he recognized him. Jesper stayed close by his side as they swam, offering support when he needed it. It was a long, rough swim, but Wylan never stopped. Weak and innocent though he seemed, he was a fighter.

At last, they made it to shore. Wylan’s whole body was shaking, and probably not just from the cold. Jesper scanned the canal. No sign of Prior yet, but it was too early to relax.

“Come on.” He reached out a hand to Wylan, who accepted it and struggled to his feet despite how exhausted he looked. “I’ll get you to a safe place.”

“Why are you helping me?” Wylan asked, his voice hoarse from the near strangulation.

It was time to come clean. “I’m not really Miggson,” Jesper said. “My name’s Jesper. I took Miggson’s place so I could… well, the plan was to kidnap you in Belendt, actually. That was before I knew what—”

He stopped, because he couldn’t bring himself to say out loud that Wylan wasn’t ever supposed to reach Belendt. Maybe Prior was a psychopath. Maybe someone else had hired him. Maybe there was an explanation that didn’t involve a father ordering his son’s death.

Wylan wasn’t looking at him anymore. He was searching for something in his satchel, his motions almost desperate. He pulled out a sealed envelope and tore it open.

The papers inside were soaked together, but clearly blank. Wylan looked through each one anyway.

Then he shoved the stack back into his satchel. “He knew I wasn’t smart enough to check,” he whispered.

“What?” Jesper asked.

“My papers for the school in Belendt,” Wylan said. “He knew I wouldn’t check them.”

Jesper touched his shoulder. “There is _no_ reason why a child should suspect his father of trying to have him killed. Trusting him doesn’t make you stupid.”

“Gullible, then.”

“If my da gave me papers, I’d trust him to tell the truth about what they were.”

“But I knew he wanted me gone,” Wylan said softly. “I should have realized.”

Jesper didn’t know what to say to that. They were getting close to the Barrel, too. Kidnapping Wylan after what he’d just been through felt horrible, but on the other hand, he’d need a place to go. Maybe he’d agree to stay with Jesper for a few days, enough to calm down and recover, and then Jesper could decide from there how to take him to Kaz.

“You aren’t going to ask?” Wylan asked.

“Ask what?”

“Why he did this.”

Jesper let out a startled laugh. “Because he’s a monster. That much is obvious.”

“It’s not like that,” Wylan said. “He just—”

“Anyone who would order his own son’s death is a monster.”

Wylan lowered his head. “I was a disappointment. He needed to get rid of me.”

“That is both absurd and no justification for murder.”

He didn’t answer until they reached the streets. Then he looked up. “You said you were supposed to kidnap me?”

“Yeah.”

“Since you helped me, I’m guessing the plan isn’t to have me killed.”

Jesper hesitated, but Wylan deserved some honesty. “I don’t know what Kaz wants with you, but unless you did something to cross him, he wouldn’t call you in to murder you.”

Wylan took a deep breath and let it out. “Let’s go, then.”

“You sure?”

“I can’t be any worse off. And I owe you.”

Jesper grinned. “Follow me.”

Whatever Kaz’s plans were, he hoped Wylan got to stay with them for a long time. Cracking the mystery of this confusing, contradictory little merchling should be a lot of fun, and Jesper couldn’t wait to get started.

**Author's Note:**

> I had to take some liberties with canon to make this work, but I don't believe it was ever stated that Wylan had met Prior and Miggson before they showed up to escort him. I also had to re-read through that section of the book to get the details right, and wow, I hate Jan Van Eck all over again.


End file.
